When asked by his mother what he wanted for his birthday this year, Kaeden Cotton said he wanted to give back.

“I wanna go give toys to kids who might not be celebrating Christmas at home,” Kaeden told his mother.

Kaeden purchased a bag of toys and asked his friends to donate as well. All the toys were donated to Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

“I think it’s really great that a teenager just took the initiative to have that compassion for kids that are here in the hospital with us,” said nurse Carrie Schreiner. “It helps them feel cared for and feel like people are thinking about them and that people love them.”